Looking Back and Looking Forward

Making a New Year’s resolution is a common practice for many people around this time of year. At Brainfood, we figured we’d give it a shot too! But what does it really mean to make a resolution? To answer this question, I went to the dictionary. According to Merriam-Webster, a resolution is “the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc.” Although the dictionary is usually a pretty reliable resource, I don’t find this answer so satisfying. Why’s that? Let’s break it down.

First, at Brainfood, we begin the process of making resolutions by looking back at our growth and improvement so far this year. Self-reflection is important, as it helps us to figure out what we want to improve upon and how we can best get there. While resolutions help us to think about the future, they really start with thinking about the past.

Second, while we know that our participants can always rise to a challenge, making a goal isn’t about finding a perfect answer. Rather than thinking about our resolutions as ways to solve a problem, we like to think about our resolutions as small steps we can take to further the learning and growth we’ve already experienced. Just a few months ago our Kitchen All Stars were learning to bake cookies, and now they can cook entire meals with all kinds of veggies, meats and grains! While none of us are gourmet chefs or masterful leaders yet, we can definitely work on skills that will help us get there!

Lastly, there is no singular or correct way to make a New Year’s resolution. Everyone has their own goals and works at their own pace. However, this doesn’t mean that we have to work on our resolutions alone! In Kitchen All Stars, we created posters listing all of our resolutions so that they can serve as a reminder when we are in the kitchen. Now, we can all see what our peers are working on and support each other along the way!

So…while all of this may be true, what is a New Year’s resolution? When we asked Brainfood participants, they used phrases like “something I want to do better”, “a thing I could improve upon”, and “a goal for the future”. I like to think of my New Year’s resolution as an intention that I set to improve my own happiness and learning. For me, it’s is something I use to focus my daily thoughts and actions on a bigger picture.

Check out some of the awesome New Year resolutions from our Kitchen All Stars!

My Brainfood New Year’s resolution is…

• “to take what I learn at Brainfood and use it at home.”
• “to make more flavorful and colorful food.”
• “to communicate more with my  teammates.”
• “to keep my station clean and organized.”
• “to come to every class on time.”
• “to be able to make my  own creations without a recipe (from scratch).”
• “to be more patient and understanding.”